Firefighters typically wear protective clothing comprising a turnout coat and pants. Such clothing is made of stiff fire retardant material. Firefighters also typically use equipment such as a safety harness, which is typically worn separate from the protective clothing. Safety harnesses are used, for example, to allow a firefighter to repel and to lift an injured firefighter from a lower floor.
The prior art has attempted to integrate a harness with protective clothing, especially for use by firefighters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,643 to Hutchinson is drawn to a detachable harness for a fireman's coat. The harness is adapted to fit about the torso of the wearer and is releasably attached to the inside of the knee-length turnout coat. Hutchinson fails to disclose a safety harness attached to both the turnout coat and turnout pants. Moreover, the detachability of the harness does not provide the durability and strength of a harness permanently attached to the protective clothing. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,517, Jordan discloses a harness secured within a coat having a front opening through which the support line is passed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,335 to Vinai, a safety harness is attached to single piece coverall covering the entire body. Such a single piece garment is not feasible for use by firemen, as it cannot be quickly put on.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,590 to Larson discloses combined trousers and safety harness wherein the harness is attached inside the trousers but must be maintained in its readiness position for dressing. The harness is merely attached to the pants and would be difficult to dress in if the interior portion of the harness is not in its readiness position. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,169 to Colorado shows a harness strap assembly incorporated into the inner liner of the pants.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,548 to Grilliot et al., firefighter's pants are equipped with connectors to which a safety harness may be connected.
The prior art fails to show a combined turnout coat and turnout pants having a single safety harness securely fastened to both. Such a combination is desirable because it increases the durability and security of the harness since it is attached to the two separate articles of clothing, i.e., the coat and pants. Moreover, the separate pieces may be quickly and easily worn by a firefighter in the emergent situations typical in the firefighting field, and a firefighter can always be totally prepared with a safety harness on his or her everyday turnout gear.